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Donovan's Bookshelf

May 2018 Review Issue


Table Of Contents

Prime Picks
Fantasy & Sci Fi
Literature
Mystery & Thrillers
Novels
Reviewer's Choice
Young Adult/Childrens


Fantasy & Sci Fi

Halorum
Serdar Aydemir
Privately Published
ISBN - 978-0-9994438-0-4         $7.99
ASIN - B07BBCR7MR                $2.99
Websites - https://authorserdar.com/  

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BBCR7MR 

Halorum is a "mighty city that stands in the center of the defended kingdom." It is a holy kingdom guided by knights and gods, and its latest mission is to eliminate the forces of darkness from its borders; for within this world lies Possessed, intruders, threats to the royalty who oversee the city's safety, and an impossible quest. 

Fans of sword and sorcery fantasy will find Halorum a fast-paced story of struggle and medieval-style battles between forces of good and evil. The clashes take place not only between kingdoms and regions, but between living and undead, demons and humans, and creatures that lie somewhere inbetween. 

In addition to epic battles, there is a dash of romance, good characterization, and insights into the social, political, and spiritual forces that affect the kingdom's ordinary citizens: "Our kingdom runs vast, our hearts run deep, and by the love of the Gods our lives run long." The citizens praised his words. "But the Gods do not hear our love. They do not hear the beating of our hearts and the words from our mouths. And for this we are feeling the wrath of the demons within us all."  

Against this backdrop a story evolves that portends of prophecy, death threats, a king perceived as hiding behind his kingdom, necromancers aided by the possessed, and the woman Paulira, whose actions change the balance of power and everything she touches. 

Readers seeking an epic sword-and-sorcery fantasy packed with action, powerful women, and a city built on the foundation belief that the Halorum Knights are their Gods will find Halorum an invigorating read that gallops through action and confrontation like a man possessed, weaving in subplots that ultimately comment on the roots of faith, belief, and dedication against all odds. 

Halorum

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The Streets of Nottingham
Auckly Simwinga
Independently Published
ASIN: B079Z6XX8M             $2.99
https://www.amazon.com/STREETS-NOTTINGHAM-Auckly-Simwinga-ebook/dp/B079Z6XX8M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519913429&sr=8-1&keywords=B079Z6XX8M&dpID=51pvsdtmRcL&preST=_SY445_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

In The Streets of Nottingham, the world has been broken by a cataclysmic clash between the mother of creation and a god-king. Only one small village has escaped this breaking: one which prays to the mother whose distant mercy masks a deadly and merciless force about to erupt. 

Nobody makes it to the streets of Nottingham from the outside world. In that world, there lives a young man who struggles with the long, unrequited love of a childhood girl and a refuge whose boundaries are marked by chaos. 

The first thing to note about Auckly Simwinga's story is its attention to setting, characterization and detail. Scenes are vividly described from the first-person protagonist's observation of his life and village, and come to life: "This is a truly desolate place we have found ourselves in. Sands the colour of ash as far as the eye can see. Touched by black mountains that rise steeply towards the sky, like razor-sharp walls of coal black stone. There is a full moon out tonight, but its light dies suddenly before it hits the ground. On the horizon, we can see fiery chasms, remnants from the breaking of the world, shooting fire into the black sky." 

An attempt at a quest which only leads to more darkness befuddles the young adventurer (“‘The darkness will be your guide’... How can it be my guide when I can’t see a thing? ‘Seek not in the darkness’...” Maybe I should just sit down and not seek anything!"), but he forges on, and his encounter with Lord Chaos and other elements of rebirth and destruction leads readers on a horseback journey through mountains, over bridges, and through a confrontation that demands the highest levels of courage. 

The Streets of Nottingham provides a gripping focus on revelations and experiences at every step, providing a solid "you are there" feel to the quest that takes a song's questionable meanings and pairs them with a hero's journey to discover their impact. 

Happiness and love, anger and death, and the impact of god-kings past and arisen anew all coalesce into a gripping saga that is firmly grounded by challenging and unexpected encounters along the way. 

The result is a thoroughly engrossing read that's highly and especially recommended for fantasy readers seeking more poetic and vivid descriptions than most epic journeys offer. 

The Streets of Nottingham

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Literature

Character Building: A Musical
Adapted by Martin Blank from talks by Booker T. Washington
American Ensemble Books
978-0-692-09156-2         $6.95
AmericanEnsembleBooks.com   

Character Building is a one-man musical adapted from Dr. Washington's inspirational talks to his students at Tuskegee University and comes not only from his own words, but from his method of blending Afro-American spirituals into his speeches. 

This play, adapted and directed by author Martin Blank, premiered at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop in Washington, D.C. on February 3, 2018, is set in 1899, and captures not just the words of Dr. Washington, but the circumstances of his life, the evolution of his mission, and the impact of his informal talks to students, which were designed to encourage and build character. 

Couched within this musical and admonitions from the good doctor are keys to dealing with life and adjusting one's approach to and direction within it: "We all know there are people who only see the dark side. Everything they say is unpleasant. I have actually seen people coming up the road who caused me to want to cross to the other side. One of the ways in which people are likely to go astray is to spend their time with persons who have mean and low dispositions." 

Without the musical notes added, Dr. Washington's words would have been heavy indeed; but Martin Blank's attention to juxtaposing the seriousness of their meaning with spirituals such as "I Cannot Tarry Here" and "We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder" lends not only an upbeat tone to these insights, but captures the culture and flavor of Afro-American lives. 

The play's format lends to a drama production's usage, but the spiritual and psychological insights assume an especially hard-hitting flavor couched in a story of self-discovery and how to live a meaningful life. 

The result is a production that should be high on the lists of any drama class seeking to capture the spirit and enthusiasm of Afro-American lives in general and the historic impact of Dr. Booker T. Washington in particular; well-done and already seasoned with a purposeful impact strengthened by the choice of music throughout. 

Character Building: A Musical

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Travelers
Laura Bernstein Machlay
Sonder Press
Trade paperback: 9780999750100      $14.95
Ebook:  9780999750117                           $ 7.99
www.thesonderpress.com 

The essays in Travelers have appeared in a variety of journals, from Moon City Review to CrossCurrents and The Nassau Review; but they're gathered here under one cover for the first time to transmit Laura Bernstein Machlay's prowess as a wordsmith talented in depicting different kinds of life journeys. 

Take the opening 'Hitchhikers', for one example. Bernstein-Machlay's engrossing portrait of those who travel via thumb and open road is nicely developed, with a solid sense of time, place, and people: "... this was the '70s. Hitchhikers were plentiful as pennies on the ground, crowding the mouths of freeways, perched even on the side streets of Bubby and Zaidy’s fraying Detroit neighborhood. The sort of hitchhikers Zaidy felt most secure stopping for—the girls dewy-skinned and too-thin, the boys with limited facial hair—wore loose, garish dashikis and tie-dyed T-shirts, bell-bottoms that flip-flapped in gentle percussion against their calves. They rose like day lilies above knee-high grasses, their thumbs pointed toward traffic, clutching signs proclaiming their destinations..." 

In this story, a hitchhiker's journey to Canada to visit his brother becomes the vehicle whereby a young girl reflects on fears, freedoms, and life journeys impacted by culture and attitude: "The boy squirmed a little, shook out his arms. 'Man, you’re lifesavers,' he said in a surprisingly low voice. 'It’s been hours. My thumb’s killing me.' I looked down and sure enough, he was vigorously massaging the fleshy portion of his palm with the non-thumbing hand. 'I was getting awful lonely out there,' he added. I nodded in commiserate feeling. Even then I understood myself to be a hitchhiker also, shuffled from my divorced mother’s condo to Bubby and Zaidy’s house whenever she had a hot date or wanted to let loose. I imagine the '70s as a golden time for singles and my mother was living the dream." 

Travelers takes no singular approach either to the open road or the open mind. Readers should expect not a collection of cultural encounters and travelogues as much as a probe cemented by the interactions of Bubby, Zaidy, their granddaughter, and the characters who move in and out of their spheres of influence. 

A young girl's observations of life and her place in it lie at the heart of these traveler's tales; whether they be insights into her place in life ("For years, forever, I’ve been knotted and snarled in my own bones, my voice constrained to whisper. Former fat girl, shy girl at school, duck & cover girl. Don’t notice me don’t notice me don’t notice me has been my mantra. I wear it like a shroud."), her friendships, or family connections. 

From an eight-year-old who faces a stranger in her family's car to being "...twenty-five, stupid and lost and sick somewhere in Brittany", these essays reflect journeys through life, changing times, and changing places; capturing the essence of movement and transformation in the process of uprooting and facing homelessness. 

Those looking for powerful literary pieces which take the theme of travel and elevate it to physical and psychological moments in time forever captured by the written word will relish the delicate progression of Travelers as it carries readers on a vivid journey through life's potent moments of revelation and self-realization.

Travelers

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Mystery & Thrillers

The 8th Sky
Leigh Lyn
Amazon Digital Services
ASIN: B07B59NWTD            $3.99
http://a.co/9r8ZoW7 

What happens when a hard-working architect involved in an intense project confronts a closely-held secret so mind-boggling that she winds up in an asylum? Lin Lee experiences a truth so horrific that her sanity is threatened; and in order to fight her way back to reality and the truth, she begins a memoir. 

This memoir forms the foundation of The 8th Sky, a vivid, compelling saga of what happens when "the whole world has amnesia except for me." Even more important: how can Lin get her old life back when everything she's believed in is now in jeopardy? 

The 8th Sky is packed with detailed psychological insights that pack punches from the start. Lin's worry she might never see her twins again, her loss of memory and recognition that history has become fluid as a result, and her observation that "...the madhouse is used to silence those who don't comply..." make for gripping episodes of insanity, sanity, and horror. 

When confronted with this terrible truth, what can Lin do to change things? When Lin discovers that many other inmates of the asylum may have been set up, like her, she becomes even more convinced that the nightmare is only beginning and is firmly rooted in reality. 

Readers can expect big concepts and stark conundrums in a story that combines the trappings of an engrossing scientific thriller with a psychological mood piece.  

As Lin tries to return to the world she once knew, readers are swept into an effort that juxtaposes questions of sanity and insanity with cultural perspectives and their influences on reality and what makes for humanity in an era of genetic modifications and manipulations. 

The action is solidified by an attention to scientific and psychological detail and by the protagonist's desperate attempt to use her memoir to get at the heart of what is happening not just to her; but to the world. 

A big strength to this story is the myriad of subplots running through it. From questions of mental illness and scientific ethics and experiments to computer hacking, compulsive work habits, secret hideouts, and confidential patient information compromised by madness and special purposes, the thriller elements are diverse and numerous. 

The result is a fantastic, thought-provoking read about rehabilitation, scientific discovery, and the cost of progress on the heart and mind of a woman determined to survive. Thriller readers who enjoy edgy science and more than a light dose of psychological inspection will find Lin's story compellingly hard to put down. 

The 8th Sky

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Caught in a Web
Joseph Lewis
Black Rose Writing
978-1-68433-024-9         $20.95
http://bit.ly/2GtdsXL
 

Caught in a Web is a detective piece revolving around drugs, gangs, and deception; and considers the investigations and actions of sheriff detectives Jamie Graff, Pat O’Connor, and Paul Eiselmann, who find themselves in over their heads.

It should be noted that the story opens with violence against teens. Detective story enthusiasts who are queasy about the prospect of drugs, teens, and death might wish to look elsewhere, because no punches are pulled in the making of Caught in a Web. That said, the descriptions are in keeping with the serious events and in no way are over-dramatized or over-embellished. 

As the bodies of middle school and high school kids who have overdosed mount, the race is on to quash a violent gang from El Salvador and, specifically, gang leader Ricardo Fuentes, who is sent to find out what gang is cutting in on their territory. He also harbors a motive for personal revenge that involves locating and killing fifteen-year-old George Tokay, who murdered his cousin. 

Having multiple subplots proffers a level of complexity not usually seen in detective stories. Characters often question if they are doing the right thing, are often caught between cops and bad guys, and teens explore their emotions and relationships against the backdrop of threats and murders. 

As the investigators review relationships, affairs, and threats, they find themselves unraveling an ever-increasing web of deception as readers are carried into a thrilling underworld of gang violence and teen involvements which gradually lead to a resolution where characters may fudge on honesty, but tie up loose ends. 

Characters are many, but are well-drawn; the action offers just the right blend of tension and intrigue; and detective story enthusiasts will especially relish the level of emotional inquiry which makes the characters both human and believable. 

The result is an involving detective piece that probes the worlds of teens and gang members with an equal attention to precise, staccato details that flow smoothly into a story that creates a satisfying conclusion to all conundrums. 

Caught in a Web

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Death's White Horses
Marc Rainer
CreateSpace
ASIN:
 B00J9HKS6Q             $11.99 Paper/$3.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Deaths-White-Horses-Trask-Crime-ebook/dp/B00J9HKS6Q/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1521755339&sr=1-2&keywords=Death%27s+White+Horses

Death's White Horses returns federal prosecutor Jeff Trask to the limelight of yet another investigation; and while prior fans may wonder what could follow and possibly top his prior death-defying experiences (facing a serial killer and a gang), Death's White Horses ups the ante in a challenge involving a series of attacks on his team by a ruthless drug cartel that refuses to be stopped. 

Based on real-life events surrounding Mexico’s cartel wars, Death's White Horses provides a timely consideration of border skirmishes, drug trafficking across the U.S. border, and underlying issues of justice, ethics, and moral challenges; creating a fast-paced, moving story that centers as much upon fundamental law enforcement and prosecution issues as on physical confrontation. 

This element adds an intellectual approach to the usual crime story and creates a depth that invites leisure readers to think beyond the thriller story surrounding Jeff Trask and his team's challenges. 

There is a big difference between contrived concepts of 'war' and actual crimes big and small, as Marc Rainer points out in his tale. Under certain circumstances, police actions and war can merge purposes. Actual Mexican politics and social struggles are woven into the story line, giving it both a refreshing and a realistic perspective as Jeff Trask and his team face revolutionary heroes, military might, changing rules of engagement, and the impact of historical precedent on modern-day actions and reactions.

With drugs and their marketing at the center of this engrossing drama, readers are thus treated to an entertaining thriller packed with action and a thought-provoking series of encounters on both sides of the border. They will find Death's White Horses an unusual blend of political, social, and legal commentary in a thriller that leaves readers thinking long past the saga's long road to justice. 

Death's White Horses is highly recommended reading for those who like their thrillers based in reality and steeped in issues that reflect real-world conundrums, with action moving from courtroom to streets at not a staccato pace, but swiftly enough to capture attention and allow time for reflection along the way. 

Death's White Horses

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Eritis: The Silver Strand Legacy
T.E. Stouyer
T.E. Stouyer, Publisher
978-1-9999649-1-7                $0.99 Kindle/$9.99 Paper
https://www.amazon.com/ERITIS-Silver-Strand-Legacy-thriller-ebook/dp/B0797PS9Q9/ref=sr_1_1_twi_kin_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1521833967&sr=8-1&keywords=eritis 

Eritis: The Silver Strand Legacy introduces ex-soldier Nate Kincade, who faces years in a military prison until a mysterious benefactor gets all charges dismissed in exchange for his help tracking down a group of renegade scientists. 

The job sounds simple and right up Nate's alley; but Kincade and his team know that being a mercenary is not about tackling cut-and-dried assignments. As the situation becomes complicated with a Berlin female detective's case which hits too close to home and a killer on the loose which draws an international force together, tension mounts. 

Fans of thrillers who enjoy stories where detective investigations become entwined with international intrigue will relish the many characters and complex story of Eritis: The Silver Strand Legacy. 

Nate's increasing concern about keeping his team out of prison blends with the story of a bigger case and a larger prize than he'd anticipated; with more at stake than either prison or freedom. 

Readers will be caught up in the swift action of this fast-paced thriller as they careen towards a precipice of crime organizations and villains and mercenaries in over their heads. 

The nonstop action and complex subplots keep Eritis: The Silver Strand Legacy charging to its unexpected conclusion, which will delight those who like their thrillers laced with detective-style intrigue. 

Eritis: The Silver Strand Legacy

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Firestorm
Solange Ritchie
Stony Hill Publishers
9781947835030             $15.99
www.stonyhillpublishers.com 

Firestorm sees Dr. "Cat" Powers return to again confront a threat to her young son by one Eric, who has found a companion killer to share his penchant for torturing women. But a serial killer's return isn't all that's going on in Firestorm: Eric's passion for punishment is conducted against the backdrop of wildfires which ravage southern California, the ongoing issues of sexual harassment in the workplace, Cat's conflict in priorities between her job and her child, and the ongoing psychological impact of son Joey's kidnapping a year ago. 

Is it a coincidence that a killer's work and an arsonist's hand are threatening to change the landscape of her beloved Southern California home? Cat is determined to obtain justice at all costs and save everything she loves in the process. 

As heartbreak leads to David's firestorm responses and his desire to, like Eric, be in control all the time (especially over women), one deadly force becomes two people who wield destruction over not just women but their environments, controlling and manipulating it with a dangerously deft hand. Cat wonders when it is all going to end. The bodies keep piling up as she spins her wheels. 

While attention to detail provides exquisite tension and riveting moments, the real strength in Firestorm lies not just in the investigative process or progression of events, but in the methodical way Solange Ritchie enters the mind of a killer, exposing his thoughts about women and his mentor's influence. 

Cat got into forensic pathology to give voice to victims by telling the stories of the dead. She will avenge their deaths and fights to expose the truth. But in this case, she's exposing truths about the killer's psyche as much as her own motivations and life; and Ritche's attention to exposing the details in her process create a delightfully complex read. 

Readers who want an investigative process steeped in psychological insights and breaks in logic and reason will relish Firestorm's ability to touch upon the deeper passions in character hearts and minds. Ultimately, it is these emotional connections which drive the superior story line, and which add the dimension of compelling interest that makes Firestorm a memorable and thoroughly engrossing murder mystery read. 

Firestorm

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Reset
Brian Andrews
Thomas & Mercer
9781503954267             $15.95
www.apub.com 

First, Sergeant Michael Pitcher discovers an object in the Afghan mountains that not only impacts his health, but changes his personality. Returned home for an evaluation, Michael seems ok; but he is distant from his wife and soon empties their bank accounts and vanishes, as do the team of scientists connected to him. 

Assigned to one of the most puzzling disappearances of his career, CIA agent Dean Ninemeyer finds himself embroiled in a mystery steeped in the possibility that someone or something has discovered how to hack into the human mind and influence it. 

Against the backdrop of the ongoing War on Terror evolves a different kind of threat that holds vast implications not just for military engagement, but for the future of the human race. 

The premise would be engaging enough with just these thriller elements at the forefront; but ex-military man and author Brian Andrews peppers his account with many insights into the armed services and its culture which bring the story to life on many different levels, including the perspective of an Army wife: "Army wives didn’t get a vote. Neither did soldiers for that matter. The military, defender of freedom and the American way, was a juggernaut, indifferent and unrelenting. There were only three choices: get on board for the ride, get run over, or get left behind. Willie Barnes had long since been left behind." 

As the story blossoms from the microcosm of military experience into a broader discussion of a new deadly, missing weapon and its potential to change everything, thriller readers are swept into a tense and satisfyingly riveting account. 

Michael's mental doppelganger, a lasting consequence of his interaction with an orb, is transforming his impulses, perspectives, and ability to remain human. At some point, a sacrificial lamb might be required to reset everything again. And that lamb won't be one prepared for the job. 

The blend of scientific intrigue, military interactions and culture both within and outside of the forces, and the desperate attempts of two skilled agents facing something far beyond even their powerful abilities makes for a gripping thriller that is hard to put down. 

Readers who like the scientific and military aspects of intrigue kept in the foreground and complimented by a host of realistic, solid characters will relish the action-paced Reset as a powerful story not just of intrigue, but of extinction events and the value of humanity on Earth. 

Reset

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The Serenity Murder
Dan Petrosini
Independently Published            $2.99
Website/ordering Link: mybook.to/serenitymurder 

The Serenity Murder is Book 3 in the Luca series, and tells of a wealthy woman murdered on a private island. The tale opens with Gideon's perspective as he lives an estranged life with Marilyn at Serenity House on the island, contemplates a divorce that would allow him to keep his place at the house and his beloved artwork, and Marilyn's decision to lock him out of everything he loves. 

In the introductory chapter, motivation is established ("I’d hated her for years and thought endlessly about killing her. It was time to finally do it.") and the only thing that seems unpredictable is the act of murder and the actions of one investigator determined to solve it. But is this truly the case? 

Many people have had their fill of the spoiled, spoon-fed Marilyn. Aside from the obvious perp, there are others equally motivated to see her gone. And just as Gideon makes his plans, so others may be involved in countermeasures.

How can Gideon contrive a murder that doesn't implicate him? When he faces Marilyn's frank confession that his own disappearance would solve many problems for her, things take a surprising and different turn. 

By the time Luca enters the picture, things have gone awry in more than one way, disturbing the island home's serenity and challenging his investigative skills: "It was a magnificent home, the nicest I’d ever been in. There were a lot of interesting pictures hanging with little lights over them. But it wasn’t like the place was a museum. It was tough to explain; you just knew it was expensive, but it wasn’t gaudy. It was, it hit me, serene. Well, all that serenity was broken, as usual, by human behavior gone off the rails." 

The appeal of Dan Petrosini's story lies not so much in a standard murder whodunit but in his approach to building competing motivations for murder from different angles and different character perspectives. Readers are along for a interesting delve into fine wines, rich people, and a host of special interests which weave a strong story line and keep readers guessing about the outcome and Luca's ability to get at the heart of what's really going on.

An attention to interesting descriptions enhances the story line ("According to the autopsy, he was lying. Tucking the deception into a mind file, I moved on.") and brings the investigative process and its conundrums to life. 

Mystery fans seeking a well-rounded and engrossing attention to detail as characters dance around each other and the world of the rich will find The Serenity Murder a powerful, compelling tale that centers around what happens when a clearly guilty perp faces too much competition and an adept detective is forced to trust his sense something is not quite right with his obvious conclusion. 

The Serenity Murder

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A Summer Again
George Rothery
George Rothery, Publisher
978-0-9998679-0-7 
www.ingramspark.com 

A Summer Again's 'Mister Halston' thriller takes place on an island off New Jersey, embraces romance, international intrigue, and mystery, and opens on the day a man makes a major change in his life, selling his long-held, successful business to a company that's wooed him for years. After gifting long-time and loyal employees, he's free to pursue other interests; and these revolve around a life of travel and adventure. 

What Greg Halston doesn't know is that this new life also involves returning to old habits, old friends, and too-familiar patterns. And it's about to get even more complicated when he returns to one place from his past, only to find a rekindled romance and a series of events that include spying, puzzles, and self-destructive choices that are instinctual reactions. 

It's a good thing Greg has left his successful business behind; because his life is getting complicated. Two women occupy his thoughts (one new; one from his past) and pose increasingly thorny romantic conundrums; he adopts the new habit of carrying a gun after a Middle Eastern foe threatens his safety; and his encounters with naval intelligence bring to mind threats from his military days. Moreover, Greg becomes involved in an operation that holds dire consequences for everyone around him, including a Russian mole. 

Fans of thrillers that offer more than a light dose of romance, intrigue, and international encounters will find A Summer Again's story line robust, fast-paced, and hard to put down as Greg races towards new beginnings, dubious relationships, and a series of events destined to either come full circle or end in disaster. 

Characterization and plot are strong; but it's the winding maze of intrigue that keeps readers guessing and racing alongside Greg as he uncovers answers, creating a vivid and engrossing read. 

A Summer Again

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The Last Straw
Ed Duncan
Creativia
978-1973444008             $10.99 Paper/$3.99 Kindle
http://a.co/cevj17F 

The Last Straw provides thriller fans with the powerful story of teen Sandra, who witnesses a carjacking and murder and faces a crime boss who targets her; and black lawyer Paul Elliott, who has been accused more than once that he "...never seems to have any sympathy for the victim” in his cases. 

His latest case not only challenges that perception, but immerses him in the dilemma of a young girl's life and the law enforcement and legal processes charged with keeping her safe against all odds. 

One of the strengths of The Last Straw lies in the fact that Ed Duncan focuses on the psyches of all the characters, revealing their motivations, truths, lies, and belief systems as the story progresses: "She accepted his account of what happened because she desperately wanted and needed to believe him. She told herself that she could not have raised a murderer. Because that was not an option, he had to be telling the truth, or at least some version of it." 

This creates reader sympathy towards all the characters as they interact, clash, and embark on bumpy rides towards inevitable confrontations and life-changing choices. 

Rico is a hit man charged with keeping his personal feelings out of his job; but that rapidly changes as he's faced with attacks on those around him: "Although outwardly calm, he was still furious. In his business projecting a calm exterior wasn’t enough. To be at the top of his game, he had to rein in his emotions completely. It didn’t matter that this was personal. In order to do what he needed to do, he had to regain his detachment, something he seldom lost." 

These two very different men, Rico and Paul, seem polar opposites in many ways; but each is charged with distancing themselves from the often-wrenching truths about their very different professions. When they tangle, justice and truth run headlong into danger and a convoluted murder plot that threatens them both. 

The Last Straw is the second book in the 'Pigeon-Blood Red' series. The first has not been read by this reviewer. No prior familiarity with the first book is required in order to easily absorb and become immersed in the ethical dilemmas of the two main characters in this second thriller. 

Realistic characters, suspenseful action, twists and turns that prove satisfyingly unpredictable, and an attention to creating full-faceted characters (whether they be women or men, victims or investigators, or hitmen) lends to an absorbing read highly recommended for those who like their thrillers complex and their characters fully developed. 

The Last Straw

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Novels

Bollywood Invasion
Ricardo Alexanders
CreateSpace
978-1981590193     $12.99
http://ricardoalexanders.com/bollywood-invasion/ 

The opening pages of Bollywood Invasion present what first appears to be an ordinary story of John Palmieri, a Brooklyn boy who is leading an average life until he's hit by a bus and awakens in another body as Raj Scindia, a prince living in India in 1958. He's suddenly wealthy, privileged, and living quite a different life from modern-day Brooklyn. Only his intense love for The Beatles has survived his transformation as he adapts to an entirely new culture and timeline; and it's that love which will lead to further changes because it's one he can't leave behind, in his old life. 

Driven by the possibilities of love and making a positive impact on his world, he finds the lyrics of the Beatles continue to direct his life, even though in this incarnation, they never existed. And when his choices bring everything he loves crashing into disaster ten years later, these songs and the values they instill in his new identity may be the only thing to link the former John's persona with Raj's struggle to survive. 

It would be all too easy to say that Bollywood Invasion is a timeslip novel that centers around a boy's struggle to regain his position and former world; but in actuality it's a saga of a struggle for identity that assumes a special level of complexity when two personas clash and their owner becomes lost between them. 

Is he living a lie, or dreaming? Which world is real; and which is his choice? As Raj becomes the incarnation of John Lennon in another place and time, bringing the messages of his future self into the past where they are received and interpreted with much enthusiasm and gusto, he also faces many conundrums, such as two women who love him and the dilemma of one of them being promised to another.

His reincarnation of the music of the 'Beetos' in this timestream leads to many changes as Ricardo Alexanders provides a satisfying focus on love, fame, complicated situations, and the values of Indian girls and the men who pursue them. 

The result is a complex and vivid story that leads Raj/John around the world and across time, probing the unexpected consequences of coming full circle with a story that challenges not only the protagonist's true identity, but the circumstances surrounding John Lennon's life, death, and own incongruities (“You wrote songs imagining no possessions but have millions of dollars and properties everywhere.”). 

Readers looking for timeslip sagas that go beyond the usual focus on finding a way back to finding the path to one's identity will relish the very different perspectives that make Bollywood Invasion an engrossing saga that excels in unexpected turns of plot. 

Bollywood Invasion

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The Devil’s Chaplain
Bruce Hartman
Swallow Tail Press
Trade paperback edition,  978-0999756409    $12.95
Library edition, 978-1987490688         $12.95
www.swallowtailpress.com 

www.amazon.com   

Christopher Ritter's time is almost up. He's a Death Row inmate slated for execution. His young, female, African-American attorney's only hope of staying his execution is a legal defense nearly impossible to achieve, made all the more complicated because Chris is more willing to admit his guilt in a range of matters outside of the crime he's accused of than to defend his own innocence. 

What evolves in The Devil's Chaplain is more than a legal quandary or a story of justice: it's a tale of moral, ethical, and psychological challenges to individual survival and social systems; and in the course of following Christopher's convoluted logic and questionable experiences, the plot leads readers to think about the real processes of guilt, innocence, crime, and punishment. 

On many levels, Christopher's case stands at the crossroads of pro-life and justice, representing the extreme edge of consequences for actions that challenge life itself. And what do Haitian refugee witnesses (people Chris is adamantly opposed to involving, even to save his life) have to do with matters? 

A hornet's nest of possibilities and danger emerges as Charlotte embarks on a path that could save her client's life and stay execution, finding that the clues lead to a host of situations that, when taken together, help explain why her puzzling client is so reluctant to help her save his life. 

And then, there's Charlotte's own challenges from the public as she defends someone who might be a deadly killer: "Save a life! God bless you!” one man shouted. “You ought to be ashamed of yourself!” yelled the puffy-haired blonde." The yin/yang of her actions and the juxtaposition of those who believe either side of the question of whether Christopher should live or die makes for engrossing passages that lead readers to consider their own values and the influences on life and death choices. 

The Devil's Chaplain also provides a graphic moment-by-moment portrayal of a death row execution. On many levels, it's a read that challenges one's emotions and ethics even with the false comfort of a chaplain who is assigned to make the accused feel like a "collaborator in his own execution". 

Readers of legal thrillers who like cases that are not cut-and-dried but filled with satisfying twists and much food for thought will find The Devil's Chaplain a powerfully-wrought inspection of not just legal processes, but social issues revolving around murder, redemption, punishment, and resolve. It's a thoroughly engrossing inspection that's hard to put down: a riveting story that hinges on clues so elusive that the tension is exquisitely drawn. 

The Devil’s Chaplain

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In An Empty Room: A Novel
Stephen Spotte
Open Books
978-1948598002                     $16.95
Website:
http://www.open-bks.com/library/moderns/in-an-empty-room/about-book.html
Ordering links:
http://www.open-bks.com/library/moderns/in-an-empty-room/order.html

An explosion in Vietnam devastates a Marine fireteam sent to a village to investigate the possibility of a bomb depot's presence there. Only one of the five-man unit survives. Grossly disfigured, who is he? Burned beyond recognition, suffering from amnesia, and unable to speak, he has no more insight than anyone around him. But people back home in West Virginia are convinced they know, and a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.

At first glance, In An Empty Room seems like another Vietnam survivor story, but take a closer look. Think Johnny Got His Gun, another tale of war's deadly impact on those who live through it, then add an introduction which begins with chapter profiles of the perspectives of the five original men who contemplate what constitutes humanity, lends credence and value to their lives, and has led to their mission in Vietnam.

Passages are packed with reflections on not just their participation in Vietnam, but the elements of war which contribute to their humanity or inhumanity ("All wars are us against them, the sanctified and blessed against the unholy and damned, the civilized against the wogs and barbarians. We demonize our enemy, making him less human than ourselves so we can kill him without guilt."), the impact of weaponry that increasingly distances the killer from the humans he kills ("With each step in the evolution of weapons the simultaneous expansion of behavioral space allowed killing to occur at increasingly greater distances while remaining extensions of us as part of the body schema."), and the effects of distancing oneself from body and mind over the ability to kill and survive ("If the illusion is all-encompassing then so are discomfort and pain, guilt and sorrow and delight, the fear of dying so excruciating as to seem transcendent, like a fleeting synesthesia arising from the foul odor of a dream.").

After introductory chapters provide biographical sketches and philosophical reflections, In An Empty Room takes an even darker turn in Part Two, revealing a coal mining camp where the unlucky amnesiac survivor has returned to a putative home he can't recall.  A host of other characters receive their own chapters summarizing their lives, hopes, and dreams.

By now it should be evident that In An Empty Room, though comparable in some ways to Johnny Got His Gun, doesn't begin and end with one man's broken body and isolation, but embraces other lives and perceptions of life's meaning and challenges in the face of war and peace. Those expecting yet another singular Vietnam War soldier's experience will be in for a surprise, because as much takes place at home in the small West Virginia coal mining town as it does before and after the explosion changes everything.

Each character's perspective adds a philosophical, moral, and ethical inspection to life's processes. This means that readers expecting an adventure-packed Vietnam War saga should look elsewhere. The adventure here lies just as much in inner space and psychological development as it does in the series of events that lead the protagonist far from his life-changing Vietnam encounter.

The result is a powerful and highly recommended story of a man broken and changed, the world he returns to, and a series of characters who enter his life to change it forever, exploring the theme of disruption from cultural, ethical, military and psychological perspectives through the eyes and hearts of myriad characters. 

In An Empty Room: A Novel

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The Key of F
Jennifer Haskin
Rogue Phoenix Press
978-1-62420-258-9               $4.99 ebook/$12.99 Paper
https://roguephoenixpress.com/ 

The Key of F is the first book in the Freedom Fight trilogy and introduces orphan Fale, who seeks a peaceful life after her parents are murdered. Her training with her adoptive father also directs her to become a peacekeeper, supporting her vision of leading a life that reflects the peace process. 

What doesn't hold up to her goals in this fantasy saga is the turbulent environment around her which stems from sudden visions of the future, which appear on her 18th birthday to redirect her purpose in life. 

At first glance The Key of F would seem to add to the teen dystopian genre with many of the trappings of better-known, similar-sounding titles involving a teen's maturity process, newfound secret powers, an evolving romance with a peer, and a confrontation with an oppressive social system. There are simply too many 'clones' of these themes in modern YA fantasy literature, these days. 

But The Key of F offers many more facets than most of its genre peers: among them, a fast-paced plot filled with unpredictable changes that keeps readers on their toes; a focus on how a teen leading a normal life suddenly discovers strange new abilities and an alternative purpose to goals she's taken for granted all her life; and a series of consequences that stem from her decision to use her power to thwart death itself. 

Readers who focus on the evolving romance between Fale and the charismatic yet elusive Karon may chafe at how a strong woman's newfound purpose too easily seems to be diverted into mushy clichés during the course of their relationship; but soft: The Key of F is about much more than young love. Scenes present the give-and-take of romance's realities and illusions, as in this revelation: "Fale was uneasy as his eyes narrowed. Was he trying to bait her? What happened to the sweet Keron from earlier?" which is tempered by a shy acknowledgement of her growing ability to affect another, just a paragraph later: "She loved seeing she could affect him, too. It made her feel powerful."   

It's about a young woman making mistakes, recognizing her strengths, suffering from her weaknesses and some of her choices, and, yes, infatuations and maturing during the process of facing adult situations. As Fale connects with the things that make her feel powerful in her life, so readers are introduced to a rich world filled with satisfying descriptions, social and political challenges, and the story of a girl on the cusp of adulthood who is charged with not only moving into new adult circles and handling her emotions, but possibly changing the world. 

The Key of F is a powerful read that will appeal to mature teens, new adults, and any fantasy reader who can accept sometimes-mushy romantic interludes as part of a young girl's maturation process. 

The Key of F

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The Nanny Song
Misty Mount

Willow River Press 
978-0-9996556-7-2 (Paper)           $14.95
978-0-9996556-9-6 (digital)            $3.99
www.btwnthelines.com

The Nanny Song presents twenty-two-year-old Mallory Riscoe, whose younger years have been ones of chaos, but who finally seems to have overcome these negative influences until she finds herself falsely accused of theft and is fired from her job. 

Brandon Colt is in a very different situation: his wife has died and he struggles with his children, grief, and some closely-held secrets. When Mallory accepts the job of nanny to his kids and moves in, two very different individuals find their lives on a collision course. 

Bad behaviors, bratty children, and adults struggling to put their lives together coalesce in the course of The Nanny Song, which creates a satisfying portrait of two people struggling in different ways with responsibilities to themselves and those around them. 

One important note is that the characters are tackling both their personal issues and those which spill out into the wider world and upon each other; and this makes for realistic scenarios and encounters that paint no single individual as a stable force with all the answers to life. 

Mallory's new job as nanny is not a piece of cake. She's continually facing challenges to her abilities and authority on many levels, and her interactions with the kids and Brandon are both realistic and absorbing, spiced with the addition of a mystery that lends additional depth and detail to the story line. 

Equally notable is the fact that emotions are explored on all sides; not just Mallory and Brandon's feelings. Kids receive their own moments in the spotlight during the story, as well: "Brendan looked to Mallory as if he wanted her to fill in the blanks. She knew she should tell him the truth about what Kason had confessed to her, but she wasn’t sure if this moment, right in front of the poor, sullen boy, was the time to do it. “That’s what he told me as well when I picked him up from school.” Kason showed almost tangible relief, thinking the nanny was going to keep his secret." 

Mallory becomes involved in cleaning up situations between Brandon, his mother, and his children; but also in her own life and her approach to her future. Almost predictably, romance is in the wind; but this seems almost an afterthought to the broader story of disparate individuals, kids, and lives coming together in unexpected new ways to change everyone involved. 

From the warm, sugary scent of pop tarts and a nanny's role in a lively household to evolving family relationships and connections and Mallory's growing commitment beyond work responsibilities to this crazy family in chaos, The Nanny Song creates a tumultuous story of change and pays close attention to the perceptions of adults and children alike. It's highly recommended for readers who want a lively story of dysfunction, healing, and evolving love. 

The Nanny Song

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Obedience
V. G. Kilgore
CreateSpace
978-1546343301            $9.00 Paper/$3.99 Kindle
http://a.co/fK9tZ2L 

This retelling of an Old Testament story offers a different perspective of events surrounding Noah's Ark which focuses not just on Noah's mission; but upon his son Ham, who has been at odds with his family since he fell in love with Lita and married her against their wishes. 

Ham is a rebel. Marriage doesn't change his stormy relationships, and the coming flood and Noah's charge to build the Ark that will save them all only causes further clashes between father and son as Noah's youngest son harbors dubious thoughts about the relationship between God and his father, and consistently rebels against both. 

While Christian readers will certainly be the audience for Obedience, it should be mentioned that the powerful saga of family relationships complicated by spiritual edicts ideally will reach beyond Christian circles, as it provides a tone and approach that more singular retellings of Biblical events can't touch. 

This is partially due to V. G. Kilgore's attention to not just Christian tenants and Biblical scenes; but to underlying relationships and influences on belief and behavior that lend a powerfully evocative tone to this retelling. It makes readers think not just about God and the Ark, but about simmering family relationships that come to a spiritual and psychological head under close quarters and a struggle to survive devastation. 

Obedience's format, a work of fiction, allows the rich flavors of emotion to rise to the forefront as it retraces Biblical events. How does one live on an ark with savage animals? What actions are undertaken to ensure the ark doesn't sink? Passages are vividly described and nicely develop the story as the ark struggles, and the people and animals aboard it face numerous challenges to physical, emotional and spiritual survival: "She peeked out the doorway. It was the throng she had observed that first day in reverse, the remnants of the Animal Kingdom, jostling toward the exit from their long, sedated confinement. She gasped as she saw Ham approach the large, snarling cats with an axe. He sloshed through the ankle-deep water to another wall and hacked an opening in it, out of which the animals sprang and quickly disappeared." 

The spiritual revelations and moments are just as poignant and immediate ("He had brought rain that had wiped off all life but theirs. Surely, He could save her. Or was He just a God of death, not life?") and address some of life's basic challenges to faith. 

Trust, revenge, faith, sacrifice, diligence, relationships between parents, children, and lovers, and higher callings all coalesce in a powerful retelling that will prove riveting and hard to put down even for those well familiar with the Biblical story. Best of all, Obedience makes the reader think about Biblical events and faith in a deeper way, lending to its use as a leisure read and discussion point and making it very highly recommended, indeed. To put it simply: there's a lot more going on, here, than a man's faith in building an ark to save humanity under God's direction. 

Obedience

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Odette's Song
A.G. Russo
Red Skye Press
978-0-9907102-3-3               $3.99
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CF6T5XS/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1523207515&sr=1-1&keywords=odette%27s+song 

Odette's Song: Music is Life is a song of tribute, opening with an introduction that captures the story's lyrical blend of autobiographical reflection and life: "My father had two obsessions: music and my mother. They were so bound together that her voice was the soundtrack of his youth. I was six years old the first time I saw him." 

From this, one might expect the novel to follow a child's evolving relationship with his parents; but protagonist Nico is 38 years old, an abject failure in life, admits to having hurt his mother multiple times with his venture into drugs, and is facing both his loved one's death and the custody of Hunter, Odette's love child. 

Nico is an often-irresponsible musician: what is he going to do with a six-year-old? His response to the possibility that he have a committed relationship with Odette's real legacy is stark: "I’m halfway to hell now; that’ll send me all the way there.” 

Nico's relationship with the deceased Odette was fire and ice, with music binding them together against all odds. What possible connection can he make with her child that, to him, represents a lost cause; much as he views himself?

Odette's song continues in her progeny as Nico faces a new career and possibilities that clash with his innate misery as a musician walking on the darker side of life. A judge will ultimately determine Hunter's fate. Will Nico become organized enough to allow Hunter into his life? Ultimately, it all boils down to Nico's honesty with both himself and the impact of Odette's legacy. 

Odette's Song is about growing up, responsibility, a lost child facing two very different families, and a savvy judge's ability to see through two very different personas to act in the interests of all. It juxtaposes legal proceedings with psychological revelations that lead to transformation, but offers no pat, cut-and-dry answers. 

Nico must work through many things; not the least of which is his own ability to follow through on commitments to be responsible for another's life. As readers absorb the impact of Odette's Song and its family-driven messages, they will especially appreciate A.G. Russo's attention to building a story that is complex and embraces the extent and results of jealousy, betrayal, and interconnected lives. 

Readers who enjoy stories of family struggles and connections will relish Odette's Song for its realistic grasp on the basics of life and meaningful relationships, and for insights that move beyond courtroom drama and into the psyches of all involved. 

Odette's Song

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Undercover Chefs
Erin Fry
50/50 Press
978-1947048140            $13.99
www.5050press.com 

http://www.undercoverchefs.net/   

http://www.erinmfry.com/ 

A baking competition attracts actual chefs, and amateurs who harbor secret dreams of being more than home cooks in Undercover Chefs. Here, a cupcake contest ensnares three disparate chef wanna-bes: a shy artist, a famous athlete, and a scooter rider with limited ambitions in life. 

As the three form relationships and dance around each other and new possibilities in the culinary world, their contest moves beyond classroom and stovetop and into real life as they reassess their skills, ambitions, and each other. 

On the surface, Undercover Chefs is a story about kids and changing lives; but spiced by real-world events (the author's son's life was also changed by a cupcake-baking event), it broadens and deepens into so much more. For one thing, a flavor of humor runs through the story line: "Isaac was only in sixth grade and one of the youngest runners there, but he didn’t need to turn around to know he was far ahead of everybody else on the middle school team. If he pushed, he could probably break five minutes and thirty seconds. His mom would be happy. Coach would rejoice. The finish line was close. He should probably start sprinting. Instead, Isaac thought about brownies. He’d been experimenting with a new frosting for a few weeks now. He used mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, and some heavy whipping cream. But something was missing. Maybe if he added a pinch of ginger. Yes, ginger. That was it!" 

Whether she's describing cupcakes or emotions, Erin Fry's descriptions are deliciously precise and appealing, from the introductory descriptions of a young runner nobody can keep up with to J.C.'s responsibilities towards his younger siblings at home. 

Another notable aspect of the story is how a contest throws three very different personalities together, where their interactions teach them not just about baking and competition, but about each others' very different lives. Fry's subtle descriptions are pleasing contrasts to the majority of story lines which seem to have forgotten the power of subtlety and the "show it, don't just say it" approach ("Jane smiled—slowly, like her smile had to decide if it was safe to come out.") 

When The Cupcake Team faces a crisis and finds they can only rely on each other for support, the real changes and competition begins in a moving story laced with fine food, fine lines, and a close attention to psychological interactions as the three disparate kids struggle to grow up and recognize their talents. 

The result is a compelling story that will prove a satisfyingly different leisure read for advanced elementary through middle school grades and beyond. Undercover Chefs is a story not just of competition and the culinary world, but how these different contestants mature and change for the better, learning how to grow into not only their skills, but their hearts. 

Very highly recommended! 

Undercover Chefs

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Whatever Happened to Ohio?
James Gallant
Battered Suitcase Press
ASIN: B079SZJ3VZ                      $3.99 Kindle
http://a.co/4nS0fj3 

Family reunions, like weddings and funerals, often bring out the best, worst, and most bizarre behaviors in people—but not usually as bizarre as the scenario described in Whatever Happened to Ohio?, where aliens and monsters are only the start of an intergalactic romp that moves directly from altar to alternate universe. 

Adding to the mayhem, there's a drug-dealing doc in bunny slippers, an Ohio Bicentennial Celebration's ragtag of odd personalities, and Debbie's funny realizations (during a yoga 'recharging' attempt) about her likely future after marriage: "Trying to empty her mind was futile. Sentences for the wedding gift thank-you notes her mother said must be completed before the wedding kept cropping up, along with the dreaded question of what work she’d be able to find in or around Neville after the honeymoon and whether she’d be able to stand it. She would enter the local work force, equipped with her split college major in film studies and creative writing — best qualified, Phil said, to write movie reviews for the Times in nearby Salem City, which didn’t publish them. It wasn’t really funny." 

This zany story pairs small-town life with an attention to fantastic events confronting average Americans, employing a heavy hand on Ohio-centric touches that keep the action firmly grounded even as it quickly moves into fantastic arenas: "An octogenarian barbershop quartet, dapper in flat-topped straw boaters, plaid sports coats, and white buck shoes, sang for the crowd gathering on the courthouse lawn in New Jerusalem, Ohio, for the Frontier Wedding..." 

The sense of humor running through the story line comes from more than aliens, adding an appealing, hilarious tone to such events as a hot air balloon traveler's encounter with airport authorities: "At eight hundred feet, he switched on the flashing red and white lights on the bottom of the gondola and made radio contact with the Indianapolis airport tower: “Am I visible to you people?” “Unfortunately, yes,” said the air controller. “How soon do you plan to be invisible?” “I’m just going with the flow.”  “Yes. May you have a long life.”  Bob’s jocular response was undeliverable, because his UHF radio had gone dead." 

The story is 'Our Town' on steroids, because 'expect the unexpected' is one of this wacky tale's themes, and is exactly what keeps it moving in satisfyingly different directions.

The result is a very, very highly recommended read for those who love a sense of humor, irony, and wild encounters in the course of their stories: a story of small-town America that butts firmly into magic realism, laced with a wry sense of satirical observation throughout. 

Whatever Happened to Ohio?

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Reviewer's Choice

The $20,000 T-Shirt
Devon Weaver
Eighty Orchard Publishing
978-0-9995600-0-6                $16.99
www.devonispale.com 

The $20,000 T-Shirt: Life Lessons (and Fart Stories) from the Greatest Father the World Has Ever Known is a parenting book like no other, featuring a candid assessment of a father forced to examine the life lessons he was (or was not) teaching his children. 

Before this point, Devon Weaver specialized in potty humor, just like his father had. Deeper wisdom and conversations designed to reveal a sense of purpose, self, and life inspection were overlaid by a form of communication with his kids that eschewed real conversations and information in favor of shallow approaches that fell short of meaning. 

The $20,000 T-Shirt is Devon's response to his shortcomings, and publishes a book originally intended to be a Christmas present just for his two children; not for the public eye. His intention is clarified in the book's introduction, and he follows through on his promise with every page: "Over the years, be sure to come back to this book. Revisit it like an old friend. Keep it close by. I plan to be in your life for many years, but now you’ll always have my words and thoughts with you regardless of what happens. I have a great life, but I desperately want yours to be head and shoulders above mine. I hope this helps."

Thankfully, his effort evolved into something the wider world can appreciate, passing to his kids (and now others) what Weaver "knows to be true" about life and his place in it. 

Vignettes come from Weaver's own life lessons and pair well with insights on not only what he learned from these experiences, but how they impacted his worldview; as when he explores the aftermath of getting a speeding ticket: "Being early is a sign that this event, interview, date, job, etc., is important to you. It was significant enough for you to plan your arrival well ahead of time. You didn’t come rushing in 100 miles per hour to try to hit the deadline. When you’re early, you can make wrong turns in the car (happens to me all the time), circle the parking lot looking for an ideal spot (yup, that’s me too), and still get there in plenty of time. Look at your phone while you wait. People watch. It’s easy to kill time if you must." 

But Weaver doesn't limit his insights to his own life lessons: he observes how others survive and thrive and incorporates these insights into this book/letter: "In the 1980s, the Colombian drug kingpin, Pablo Escobar, was once the most notorious, and richest, man in the world. The federales were always after him. Every safe house he inhabited had multiple escape routes.  Normally, I wouldn’t recommend taking advice from a murderous drug overlord, but don’t discount their methods of survival. He persevered and thrived because he was several moves ahead of everyone else, a 3D chess master. He made his own path and played his own game. He didn’t follow other cows into the slaughterhouse. And you shouldn’t either." 

What differentiates The $20,000 T-Shirt from other parenting or advice guides is its attention to linking the author's knowledge with bigger pictures based on a range of experiences. Specific strategies are provided, rather than generalities; and these form the heart of a powerful guide packed with solid advice that shouldn't be limited to young adult readers alone: "The key to accomplishing the gigantic is breaking it down into the teeny weeniest bite-size segments. When examining his next big thing, Seth Godin in Tools of Titans thinks, “What’s the smallest possible footprint I can get away with? What is the smallest possible project that is worth my time ... because smallest is achievable.” Tony Robbins has a similar approach: bring the target closer. Don’t look at the end result. You’ll never start. Build up your confidence with the mundane and easy. Got that. Okay. Bump up the difficulty level a tad. Then more. And more. Suddenly, after incremental improvement, you’re slaying the big boss to finish the game, something inconceivable when you first started. I designed a method to keep me focused on the small, yet crucial, elements of each project. I call it the Chunky Bucket Calendar, and it has really helped me to boil down some gnarly projects into achievable portions..." 

The $20,000 T-Shirt is a highly recommended pick that parents can give their teens and read together with them: a series of life lessons that are witty, chatty, revealing, and hard-hitting, all in one. 

The $20,000 T-Shirt

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The Thirteen: Ashi-Niswi
Lorin R. Robinson
Open Books
978-1-948598-05-7    $15.95 soft cover; $7.99 ebook
Website/Ordering Link:  http://www.open-bks.com/library/open-library.html and all on-line book sellers 

The Thirteen: Ashi-Niswi centers on 13 Native American Anishinaabe teens—living in a “time before time,” a world yet to be influenced by white culture.  Ignoring the mandate of their elders, they embark on a mission of revenge after Dakota raiders ravage their village. 

It is a solid story of native interactions—pre-white man—that captures the thoughts, sentiments and determination of this band of young men to regain—at whatever cost—the honor of their band.  This work of historical fiction proves particularly delightful because there are surprisingly few native stories that take place before the white man's arrival and eventual dominance over tribal interactions and affairs.

A preface sets the foundations for the tale that takes place after the Anishinaabe (later named Ojibwe by the French), received a spiritual edict to migrate from their Atlantic coastal homeland and into unfamiliar territory—to a land where, mysteriously, “food grows upon the water.” They were warned that a tribe of white-skinned people from across the ocean was coming and would destroy their way of life. 

The journey, which begins after 1,000 A.D., takes many generations and is fraught with danger. When they reach the Lake Superior region—and find the wild rice that signals the end of their migration—they encounter the native Dakota (later renamed Sioux) and a long and bloody conflict results, the heart of this tale. 

The narration of events by a teen, Aajim, is nicely done and offers excellent perspectives on events both immediate and viewed retrospectively from his vantage point as Akiwenzil, Old Man, teller of the story of The Thirteen.  He survives into very old age because he becomes a slave to the story, expected to tell and retell it at annual tribal gatherings.  His accounts of the youthful war party’s trials and tribulations are vividly portrayed. 

The tale is also one of Aajim’s coming-of-age as he struggles to deal with the aftermath of the quest for honor and the question of honor itself: “How can killing or being killed by Dakota… restore our honor?  In any case, this was not ours to do.  The honorable thing for us would have been to live to become men, to live to marry and raise families, to live to work for the betterment of our band." 

Readers will enjoy a close inspection of the cultural, psychological and physical landscapes of these original Americans as they struggle to fulfill their destinies and deal with philosophical questions that are as relevant today as they were then. Under Lorin R. Robinson's hand, strengthened by its foundations in historical fact, the story rings with authenticity. 

The result is a moving novel recommended—because of its depictions of violence; always in taste, but ever-present—to adult readers interested in strong tales that take historical facts and weave them into the kinds of compelling stories that illustrate underlying influences on choices and actions.  Wherein lies honor and meaning in life? That is the question, nicely posed and eventually answered, in a gripping adventure about cultural clashes and adaptation. 

The Thirteen: Ashi-Niswi

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Eat What You Want! Stop When You Want!
Sora Vernikoff, M.A., M.S.
Green Mind Press
978-0692850237            $24.95 Paper/$3.99 Kindle
http://a.co/ibYazIA 

Eat What You Want! Stop When You Want! comes from an author who struggled with her own weight issues, and who used her background as an educator to create a workbook of weight management approaches that differs from most other treatments on the market. 

For one thing, she decided to stop dieting and instead kept a journal of all her eating habits. But her approach didn't stop there: she decided to apply her very successful classroom management techniques to managing food after reaching her weight loss goals without any dieting involved. 

Thus, the birth of this workbook; which of necessity involves an interactive approach as Vernikoff encourages her readers to identify when they do and do not think about food, how they think about food differently, and how to use the power of thinking to change eating impulses. 

The centerpiece of this new approach is the author's insights on the "Food-Thought Struggle" which affects food cravings and what is eaten or what feels satisfying (or not). It's a simple set of routines anyone can follow ("But before I buy or have it, I have to ask myself: “Do I want to stop myself or not?” Then I have to wait for my answer to arrive.") 

Charts, illustrations, and examples of each step of revised thinking processes make it easy to work through The Program and The Technique.

Because this program is all about employing a variety of techniques and self-assessment strategies, this 'no-diet system' involves much psychological inspection and is especially recommended for self-help 'foodies' interested in actively altering their perceptions of food. There are a number of courses to take, alternatives to consider, and strategies outlined under different circumstances ("At this point, The Program says that if you’ve tried The “Minimizer” Technique and you’ve tried The “4” Technique and you’re still struggling to reach your non-dieted weight loss goal then try Strategy #3, found below in Chart #8c which is called The “Boredom” Technique."), and while all are clearly explained,  this process will better reach those actively engaged in their own transformation than readers who would receive step-by-step formulas. 

The mile markers of achievement are also nicely outlined ("This will let you know that you have stopped either your food or gum “eating” behavior.") in a set of explicit instructions highly recommended for anyone interested in active food management that involves revising habits, perceptions, and ideas of food, dieting, and satisfaction.

Eat What You Want! Stop When You Want!

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Finding Joy, Living an A+ Life in a C- World
Carrie Copley 
Book Press Publishing 
978-0-9967616-4-2                        $3.99
www.loveyourlife2.com  

First, Carolyn's life was good. Then, everything changed. Now she's stuck in defeat, trying to find her way back to the joyful world she once perceived. 

Finding Joy, Living an A+ Life in a C- World is a non-fiction self-help piece about recovering self-esteem and transformative processes—but, surprisingly, the key lies as much in testing perceptions of life and purpose as it does in taking the kinds of steps that lead to recovery. 

In Carolyn's case, the CEO of her company doesn't just validate her feelings: she asks two simple questions that help set Carolyn on a different path in life, and this process is revealed in Finding Joy, Living an A+ Life in a C- World. 

How does one move from feeling like a victim (and having one's peers reinforce this notion) to feeling like a winner? It's the process of change which is the focus, here; and where other books would provide vague insights, Finding Joy offers the specifics missing from similar-sounding accounts. 

The conversation with the CEO takes place in the second chapter: just enough time to provide setting and background. "What did you ignore? What did you not address? What did you not deal with...." These are just a few of the considerations that move Carolyn from a 'stuck' place of victimization to considering changes that make a lasting impact on her life. 

The rest of the book focuses on her transformation process. While the story reads like a novel, employing the dramatic embellishments and observations of fiction, the piece is actually a nonfiction account. The questions it poses are its strongest feature; and as Carolyn faces them, so do her readers: "If I were to ask you to grade your life in all areas one year ago, what grade would you have given it?" 

When the difference in a quality life lies between dreaming big and staying stuck, what are the motivators and processes for each? A powerful saga emerges that draws in readers with the feel of a fictional third-person character, yet overlays her path to happiness with lessons a broad audience can easily employ and learn from. 

Very highly recommended, Finding Joy, Living an A+ Life in a C- World shows how to be extraordinary and build an exceptional life from a "grade C" environment. Self-help, psychology, new age, and general-interest readers will find it equally enlightening and entertaining as they follow Carolyn's self-discoveries and her specific insights on victim mindsets and paths to a better life. 

Finding Joy, Living an A+ Life in a C- World

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The Gifts of Acceptance
Daniel A. Miller
Ebb and Flow Press
9780982893050             $14.95
http://a.co/bCGsHRa 

The Gifts of Acceptance: Embracing People and Things as They Are offers a pointed perspective admonishing readers that life would be much improved if people accepted situations, other people, and life; and didn't spend so much time wishing things were different. 

Author Daniel A. Miller well knows what he is talking about. Once he was a controlling person who not only wished things were different, but spent much time and energy assuring that people and situations changed the way he wanted. As his experiences in life prompted him to reconsider its direction, he became educated on the concept of acceptance, its value, and the realities of adjusting to negative and positive changes alike. 

His own experiences blend with other case histories, unexpected humor, and tips on how readers can acknowledge and practice habits which involve giving up control and a good deal of belief in one's personal power in favor of an approach to life that encourages reconciliation over conflict. 

Chapters are very clear in their approaches to potentially complex, confusing subjects; from how to accept losses brought about by change to facing conflicting perspectives, actions, and negative forces in life. This is where many titles about acceptance bog down: in providing the specifics of how to handle degrading behaviors, toxic individuals, and social and political forces well beyond individual influence. 

The common challenges to acceptance, from one's parents to setbacks and failure, are each profiled in chapters that use case histories and author experiences to illustrate the predicament and the contrast between controlling and accepting behavior patterns. 

The result is an informational title packed with strategies, tools, and tips for negotiating ups and downs with a new paradigm for living a better life. 

The Gifts of Acceptance

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In Search of Lost Lives
Michael Goddart
Clear Path Press
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-944037-83-3    $26.95
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-944037-84-0     $38.95
eBook ISBN: 978-1-944037-85-7         $ 9.99
www.epigraphps.com 

In Search of Lost Lives comes from an author born into a non-religious family, who began trying to connect to God at the age of eleven, dedicating his life "...to finding a way to conquer death and achieve immortality with a consciousness of absolute bliss." Driven by a desire to connect with God on a different level than most religions offer, and by a search for not just the meaning behind past lives but evidence of those who lived them, Michael Goddart uncovered his own past lives, which explained many of his talents and special abilities.

In Search of Lost Lives details this journey and requires only an acceptance of the concept of reincarnation in order to prove accessible and appealing. 

Chapters chart the search as much as the discoveries Goddart made, and this is one facet which sets his account apart from other reincarnation books which would focus on the end results over the process of recovering lost lives. 

The meat of the story lies in original journal entries written from March 15, 2013 to October 16, 2015. There is a purpose to which lives Goddart chooses to profile, here: "The lives I focus on are those in which I experienced definite spiritual evolution. Lives are also portrayed in which I committed a hurtful act that resulted in a subsequent life as an animal or a sojourn between lives in a state of reformation." 

This selective highlighting allows for a special process of connecting past life lessons to present incarnation purposes, providing readers with at least partial answers to the universal questions of who we are, why we are here, and connections between spiritual and physical journeys through life.

As Goddart explores his past lives, readers receive important information on how his discoveries validate and affect his present-day experiences: "Recovering my past lives has been revelatory. It’s been helping me feel complete and whole and connected. I feel good and relieved that I did have a childhood in Edwardian England. Actually, relieved and grateful and joyful. The puzzle is fitting together and offering pictures. It’s like waking up one morning and returning to a stubborn jigsaw puzzle and finding that I can gracefully find and place key pieces so that I can see key scenes confirmed." 

The saying that 'it's not just about the destination, but the journey' applies nicely to this hard-hitting blend of autobiography, spiritual reflection, and philosophical insights that take the author's probe of his past lives and connects that process to his present-day persona, experiences, and purposes. 

Readers who hold a prior interest in investigative reincarnation works will relish Goddart's special attention to the significant experiences in his various lives that contribute to who he is today and also his exploration of lives that connect specific desires and actions to transmigration to subsequent human and animal lives. 

In Search of Lost Lives is very highly recommended as a foundation work of spirituality that moves deftly beyond the usual past life focus to illuminate the spiritual purpose of particular past lives and the experiences and evolution that prepared Goddart to follow his current spiritual path. 

In Search of Lost Lives

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Quickstart Guide to Songwriting
Randy Klein
AuthorHouse
ISBN: 978-1-5246-9849-2 (sc)              $24.99
ISBN: 978-1-5246-9850-8 (e)        $10.99
www.authorhouse.com 

Quickstart Guide to Songwriting is especially recommended for those who have a song in mind, but lack the technical training to translate it to music. Typically, these would-be songwriters either work with a musician or never see their song to fruition; but Quickstart Guide to Songwriting offers an alternative path to making one's mental music become reality. 

First comes an introductory reference chart providing music sample links to online examples that teach basics about tempo, chorus, variations in verse lines, and give pointers about songs that work and styles that lack. Then Randy Klein addresses the common barriers non-musicians face in translating their song to music, which range from ignorance about the parts of a song and what constitutes a song to the lack of any prior musical education and discussion on what subjects can become songs. 

At each step, Klein offers much support in the way of tips ("It is not uncommon to write the hook first, then the chorus and then the verse. This happens because when writing a song, the feeling of what the song is about usually emerges first."), step-by-step exercises, clues to composing lyrics and feeling beats, and a basic understanding of how melody, harmony and rhythm work together. 

As non-musicians absorb these fundamentals in a supportive environment that assumes no prior knowledge, they'll come to the point where they can learn from listening to other songs, reading others' lyrics and identifying what makes an effective song. The musical online links throughout reinforce this knowledge with concrete auditory examples of a wide range of styles and approaches. 

The result is a solid primer that takes the non-musician to the status of songwriter without need for any prior musical training: a boon to those who already like music and who have an idea, but need the nuts and bolts of education provided in this simple, supportive, highly recommended guide. 

Quickstart Guide to Songwriting

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Surrendering to Joy
Suzanne Falter
Love & Happiness Publishing, LLC
978-0-9911248-0-0                $11.99 Paper/$4.99 Kindle
http://a.co/fo92M1E 

Suzanne Falter had no advance warning that her healthy 22-year-old daughter would collapse suddenly one night with cardiac arrest, to die six days later.  Surrendering to Joy: My Year of Love, Letting Go and Forgiveness delves deeply into the events of six days which changed the author's life; and those who read this spiritual story of letting go and finding joy will find much to relish as they follow her process. 

Surrendering to Joy comes with many cautions about the barriers and successes to finding and celebrating joy in life. These range from an addiction to the rush gained from drama to understanding the meaning and impact of gratitude, remaining unaware and uncommitted to spiritual facets in life, and learning how forgiveness is connected to rebirth. 

By now, it should be obvious that Surrendering to Joy requires a certain level of self-inspection and spiritual, philosophical, and psychological reflection that may prove daunting to those who would not inspect their own lives too closely. 

As readers pursue three different essays; each of which delves into spiritual realms, they will find that the autobiographical revelations include a set of guideposts to life-changing attitudes and approaches useful under any circumstance; but especially relevant to those whose lives are in flux. 

Initially, one may question how the worst experience of all—the death of a child—could lead to a life-affirming result; but as Falter reveals her own journey and connects it to choices and revelations that resulted in not just growth, but transformation, readers will learn how these changes take place, and how recognizing and rejecting old patterns leads to a different level of awareness. 

Falter's blend of her own experiences and background and how she moved beyond loss adds a philosophical note to her work that is usually not seen in stories of loss and recovery: "Within the great matrix of human understanding, we are given exactly those conditions we need to thrive – even if that thriving means we must spend a significant part of our life in pain." 

The result is inspiring, accessible, and thought-provoking, highly recommended for anyone who wants to move beyond acceptance and into the kind of rebirth that promises a joyful life. 

Surrendering to Joy

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These Three Words
Christine Bauer
Independently Published
$19.95
https://www.authorcbauer.com/ 

These Three Words: A Birthmother's Story of Choice, Chance, and Motherhood opens in a drugstore in 1984, where the then-18-year-old author contemplates her purchase of pain medication and sleeping pills towards the goal of suicide. 

Pregnant and desperate for a permanent resolution to her dilemma that offers a guaranteed way out for all involved, Christine Bauer was not prepared to make the choice that would lead to motherhood and a hard turn in life that changed not only her dreams, but who she was: "In just a few weeks I had tumbled from straddling the high board of life to lying at the bottom of the pool. Just last week I was a freshman in love with my friends and my new life. Now, I sat here wondering how many sleeping pills I should take to end my life." 

Christina can't stand the thought of disappointing her parents, either way. Her quandary is clearly presented in a birth story that represents a journey from the depths of despair to the growing realization that life is offering her a different couse than she'd ever anticipated, derailing her dreams but replacing them with new ones. 

Suddenly she is a pregnant, teenage Catholic living among Mormans, where she feels like a fish out of water: "A Mormon woman’s greatest career is motherhood. To them, I would be an anomaly, a freak...I was just so different from them. They were married. I was single. They were in their twenties and thirties; I had just turned nineteen. They were happy and excited to be expecting babies. I was sad and terrified of my pregnancy. They were thinking about how fun it would be to bring their newborns home. I was agonizing over the thought of handing my newborn over to strangers." 

Her process of finding the right family for her baby—not just any family; but one that is giving, loving, stable, and who will instill the love of learning Christine has enjoyed all her life—and her quest to support the most important decision of her life makes for a riveting account. 

Bauer's writing is personal, absorbing, and fully captures these pivot points that stemmed from an unintended pregnancy and its lasting impact on her and her entire family. As Christine Bauer's family makes changes, she enters into motherhood and years of its aftermath with an attention to self-forgiveness and fixing the mistakes in her life. 

Any pregnant teen who has faced these same questions and options, and any reader interested in the types of changes that lead Christine to other paths in motherhood and parenting, will find These Three Words a gripping autobiography that examines not just one young woman's individual journey, but its lasting joys and sorrows. 

These Three Words

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Warrior Culture and the Indian Wars
Edward C. Osborne
http://www.edwardosborne.com/ 

Warrior Culture and the Indian Wars: From the Washita to the Rosebud From Custer's Little Bighorn to Wounded Knee is a companion volume to Edward C. Osborne's Warrior Culture: The Indian Wars. It analyzes other Indian wars and provides information from the Washita to Wounded Knee, applying the same methodical analysis and revisionist history that made Osborne's first book so hard-hitting and controversial. 

The controversy piece lies in a historical narrative which continues to challenge cultural revisionist theory and its application to traditional perspectives of the Plains Indian culture as one of peaceful roots before the arrival of the white man. 

Even more important than its expansion of battle history, Warrior Culture and the Indian Wars includes a focus on the lasting modern impacts of Custer's Last Stand and the battle at Wounded Knee. It's this attention to both historical precedent and the lasting results of its interpretation on modern-day perceptions and events that makes this book so important not just to rectify historical inaccuracies and clarify cultural insights, but to trace their ongoing presence in modern-day affairs. 

While the degree of scholarship and footnoted references would seem to indicate that readers should have a prior scholarly background in Native American and American history, it's important to note that descriptions, dilemmas, and insights don't require a technical background in order to prove accessible by lay readers with only a cursory familiarity with the subjects. 

Osborne's observations and questions are thought-provoking and easily absorbed ("Was the Washita River a brutal massacre of peaceful Indians or was it a warranted attack against hostile raiders?"), and blend examination of primary historical source materials with a critic's eye to their various interpretations (and misinterpretations) over the years. 

This attention to detail allows all readers to understand how history comes to be written, how its tenants become accepted as the norm, and the importance and limitations of secondary sources in the scholarly reconstruction of events. 

It should also be pointed out that in the course of this revisionist history, Osborne makes many statements ("Today's minority groups, especially the Indians, seem to have no sympathy or compassion for white America who they see as evil incarnate. They have withdrawn into their own isolated and primitive tribal past.") that will surely encourage debate and argument among scholarly circles and especially in classroom settings; and this is a good thing. So many histories present theories and opinions as 'facts' that having a critical re-assessment allows for fresh perspective on the nature, psychological, social, political, and cultural roots of encounters between Native tribes both with each other and the white man. 

Even broader-based is Osborne's contention that revisionist historical approaches, when presented in analytical detail and depth, hold value beyond the subject they are examining: "It is accurate revisionism that makes history indispensable and significant. All honest history is revisionist history because it must stand the test of time. It must endure the focused scrutiny of "new" evidence, new questions and new perspectives by researchers in the profession. Quite obviously, the integrity of the historian is the most important characteristic that he or she must possess." 

Black and white vintage photos, maps, charts, and drawings illustrate characters, controversies, and events throughout, adding an important visual dimension to the analysis. 

The result is an admonition to not only look at Native American culture and clashes with a new eye to past historical representation, but with an acknowledgment of how this affects present-day relationships both within Indian tribal circles and between Native Americans and whites. 

Authoritative, controversial, and steeped in footnoted references and scholarship, Warrior Culture: The Indian Wars is highly recommended for any college-level reader or western history enthusiast who would re-examine events of the past and their lasting ideas in modern times. 

Warrior Culture and the Indian Wars

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We Need a Movement
John Jensen
CreateSpace
978-1977510105                    $13.00
http://a.co/5DQ1FnK 

We Need a Movement: Four Problems To Solve To Restore Rational Government offers a blueprint and strategy for effecting social change, and is recommended reading for those interested in how the entire American social system can be changed. 

This sounds like a lofty, impossible goal. The wheels of change move slowly and sometimes not at all; and opposing forces that would change nothing rather than benefit all seem insurmountable at times. 

John Jensen addresses some important underlying issues in his treatise; from the definition and presence of 'selfish power' in social and political circles to the limiting effects of negative attitudes and thinking, which cause entrenched values and processes to remain in place at personal, social, and political stratas of society. 

From problems with traditional organizational structures and how planners can change them to personalizing the group experience and helping volunteers move into leadership roles in group sizes that lend to learning and accepting responsibility, chapters teach the basics of group strategies and designs that effect real change. A valuable theme of the book addresses a pervasive social problem: how people can communicate better with others who disagree with them. 

Some of Jensen's admonitions may seem simplistic on the surface ("Thousands of organizations plateau because they do not convey their ideas person to person. To a receptive individual who might inspire a thousand others, can you deliver your plan for changing the world? If not, start there. Learn how to change society and explain it to everyone who will listen. Ask for what you want."), but they are thoroughly grounded in step-by-step tasks designed to move from individual to group strengths. 

The need for a movement established, the meat of this title lies in the 'how', making it a powerful choice for activists who would effect real change not just in society, but in the individual ways that they perceive and approach the world.

We Need a Movement

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Young Adult/Childrens

Karina
E.B. Mann
Araby Books
9781974267393      $3.88 ebook/$11.98 paperback
http://a.co/6ykx0ZD 

Eighth grader Karina Morgan is not like other girls. Her forehead was terribly scarred when she was a baby, so she's gone through her short life marred and tormented by her peers. The weight of what she faces in school increases every year, and middle school seems the worst of all trials until she discovers a cave, an old man, and a message that would seem to place her experience in a broader perspective. 

Young readers might anticipate that Karina will be about a handicap fixed by the miracle of science; but a different kind of miracle comes to light, here: that of the mind. 

Psychological insights blend nicely with metaphysical touches as reincarnation, life purpose, and lessons that can change others are introduced to the story line. These topics may sound like heady reading for middle graders; but E.B. Mann makes them accessible through lens of Karina's experience and emotions, successfully linking the concept of personal pain and courage with wider-ranging considerations of how individual trials in life can actually build a better world. 

These themes and how they are handled make Karina a recommended read beyond middle grades or even high school, as different age groups will find her story accessible, thought-provoking, and a satisfying testimony to the power of enlightenment and personal growth. 

The blend of magical places and a transformative process that ultimately changes not just one bullied eighth-grader but those around her creates a memorable read that reinforces a powerful concept: "...the world is merely a reflection of your own energy. Change yourself and you will see your reflection change. As the wise Native American Chief Seattle once said: 'All things are bound together, all things connect." 

Think Cloud Atlas, but with a gentler touch, to grasp the essence of Karina's powerful message, which is highly recommended for all ages. 

Karina

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Your Greatest Adventure
Mande Buckmaster
Creative Amition Press

Trade Hardcover: 978-1-7320568-0-0     $16.99
Trade Paperback: 978-1-7320568-1-7     $  7.99
Kindle Edition: 978-1-7320568-2-4           $  2.99
www.amazon.com 

Jessica Chrysler's good-sized, bright illustrations enhance the message and presentation of the picture book Your Greatest Adventure, which combines a rollicking rhyme with an exceptionally warm story of a mother and her young son's search for adventure. 

All the adventures—parachuting, driving a Jeep Wrangler (nee: laundry basket) through the plains of Africa, riding in a hot-air balloon (the same basket)—are presented by a creative mother who goes about her household chores yet involves her young child in an imaginative process that takes flight in many ways and through many action-packed scenarios. 

While kids and read-aloud parents will delight in the blend of real-world household matters paired with higher-level imaginative thinking, the real message lies in how parents can inject a sense of wonder into everyday affairs; even the most mundane of household chores. 

Enhanced by vivid, colorful drawings and an approach that captures the essence of lively thinking, whether it be in verse, picture, or imaginary events, Your Greatest Adventure's strongest message lies in the types of creative thinking parents can employ to involve their children in imagination, future possibilities, and fun. The tale is further enhanced by a faithful dog who leaps in for a piece of the action in virtually every panel. 

Your Greatest Adventure deserves special mention and recommendation. Quite simply, it's one of the most engaging, fun, cozy picture book reads of the new year, to date. 

Your Greatest Adventure

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Zoonauts II: The China Adventure
Richard Mueller
www.zoonauts.com 

The 'Zoonauts' are fictional animal characters created by David Simmons to portray NASA's project of sending animals into space; but in Richard Mueller's series, they have gained extraordinary intelligence. Middle grade readers ages 8-13 are in for a treat with this second book in the Zoonauts adventure, because The China Adventure is a rollicking story of an alien pilot scout ship in China that runs into difficulty, and newly intelligent pandas who quickly develop a nose for trouble. 

Animalville and its residents have been mutated by aliens during their space adventure in the prior book; and are heroes in this sequel, which traces adventures surrounding the Chinese capture of two aliens in Shanghai.   

Humor is a constant stream that runs through the story line, with all adult concepts explained for middle grade readers: "As Laika and Dr. Tom neared the Bar-Be-Cue, they could hear the voices of the animals raised in an argument. “Sometime it sounds like ‘Animal Farm’,” said Laika sourly. The reference was to George Orwell’s book about animals who take over a farm and make things worse than their human caretakers. “Well, yes, but a much nicer version of it,” said Dr. Tom." 

When the Animalville residents discover the Chinese capture, and learn that pandas have been let loose on Shanghai's streets in the process, they decide to lend paws and claws to help. So begins a journey not only to confront aliens and thwart an invasion, but to help Animalville's fellow creatures. 

Facts about the Chinese space program ("The Chinese prepared to carry their space travelers into orbit.  China launched a series of four Shenzhou unmanned tests. Shenzhou 1 went into space on November 19, 1999.  It made 14 orbits around Earth and carried a dummy pilot, experimental seeds, commemorative stamps, and national flags. It landed the next day in Inner Mongolia.") intersect with the fantasy adventure tale of a panda inadvertently altered by the Amadorian mutagenic ray that is used on it by mistake. Fun drawings pepper the story and embellish events, bringing animals and people to life. 

This supports the Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM) educational program by blending a creative fictional story with a healthy sprinkling of nonfiction facts about the Chinese space program. 

The tongue-and-cheek humor that runs through the story line may be beyond some middle grade readers; but most will appreciate the fun references and action laced with comments, observations, and ironies (such as a trashy alien spacecraft). Between aliens that masquerade as Lucky Dragons (and who already have a history of being defeated as dragons in human early history), intelligent animals that are determined to save the day, and two savvy homeschooled kids who want to help, The China Adventure excels in nonstop action and satisfying twists of plot that are fairly easy to follow. 

The result is a zany, fun, unique story that will appeal to kids who relish humor and tales that incorporate alien invasion, pandas, and Chinese space history.

Zoonauts II: The China Adventure

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